Oil seal



Patented Sept. 1, .1936

This invention relates to improvements in oil seals of the capsule type adapted for pressed-fit insertion into a housing in encompassing relation to a shaft passing therethrough and particularly 5 to such seals designed for sealing reciprocating shafts of small diameters such as the shafts of shock absorbers and the like.

The-main objects of this invention are to provide animproved capsule type oil seal adapted for construction in small sizes; to provide such a seal of simplified construction having a minimum number of parts; to provide such an oil seal having a moulded sleeve-like packing member that may be precisely formed to fit shafts of predetermined sizes and to efllciently seal the same with a minimum of contacting pressure; andto provide an improved capsule type 011' seal that may be manufactured at a greatly. reduced cost.

A specific embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the improved oil seal and its component parts.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the pack! ing or sealing member andits improved formation.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the oil seal housing in which the packing member is mounted. '7 Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating an im- '5 proved clamping ring by means of which the 3 packing is secured in the housing.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the oil seal showingthe parts in assembled relatiombut' prior to the expanding operation on the clamping ring whereby the packing member is secured to the housing, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modified form of the improved oil seal that may be employed when a leather packing member is used.

In the forms shown in the drawing, the improved oil seal comprises a cup-shaped cylindriedge of the inwardly extending flange.

The packing member is preferably moulded from a suitable flexible material, such as synthetic rubber or the like, and is formed with integral external peripheral shoulders, one of which engages the flange oi the housing to help secure the packing member to the housing and the other 5 of which serves as a retaining means for a con- .4 I Rem! r. Gits, Riverside, m.

f Application December 14, 1935, Serial No. 54,885 7 Claims. (Cl. 288-1) 7 tractible spring surrounding the shaft engaging portion of the packing.

As shown in the drawing, the improved seal housing or shell I is formed with an integral in wardly extending flange 2 at one end and the 5; inner margin ofthe flange 2, which is annular and defines an annular aperture 3, is offset inwardly as at 4, the flange 2 and the offset portion 4 extending in a generally radial direction and at right'angles to the side wall of the shell 10 or housing I. I

The sealing orpacking member, as shown in. Fig. 2, is a sleeve-like axially extending annular member having a shaft-engaging portion 5 and v a radially offset clamping portion 8 which is of 15 greater diameter than the shaft-engaging Dortion 5.

The end of the shaft-engaging portion a is formed to substantially fit the shaft which it is intended to seal and is tapered inwardly toward 20 the shaft from the clamping portion. A peripheral external rib or shoulder I is provided at the end of the shaft-engaging portion.

An external peripheral shoulder 8 is provided adiacent the end of the clamping portion of the 25 packing member and an annular counterbore or seat 9 is formed in that end because of the offset arrangement of the clamping portion 6.

A contractibly coiled helical spring I0 is positioned over the shaft-engaging portion of the 30 packing member to contract the same about a shaft passing therethrough and is retained on the packing member by means of the rib or shoulder 1. v

The sleeve-like packing member, shown in Fig. .35 2, is preferably moulded to a precise shape to ht a shaft of predetermined size and is so arranged that suitable contact is had with the shaft at the end of the shaft-engaging portion of the packing member with a minimum amount of taper to the inner surface of the shaft-engaging portion.

The packing member is preferably moulded of a flexible substance having superior wearing qualities and which will not be affected or deteriorated 45 by oil or grease. The substance known as Koroseal, manufactured by the Goodrich Rubber Company, is found to have suitable properties for this purpose and to give excellent results.

A clamping member comprising an annular o ductile ring I l is utilized to secure the packing member to the flange of the shell or housing I. The ring H is formed to be received and seated in the counterbore 9 formed by oifsetting the clamping portion 8 of the packing member and is provided with a centrally located annular groove l2 in its outer periphery.

sembled parts assume the relationship shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing.

The clamping ring I l is then swedged or rolled, or otherwise suitably expanded outwardly, so as to embed itself in the clamping portion 6 of the packing member and securely clamp the same against the edge of the offset portion 4,01 the flange 2.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5 the clamping ring H is positioned so as to be diametrically alined with, or concentric with, the edge of the offset portion 4 of the shell flange, and the peripheral groove I2 is formed to have a width substantially equal to the thickness of the offset portion 4.

' Thus, when the clamping ring is expanded to secure the packing member to the shell flange, the clamping portion 6 of the packing member is forced into the groove l2 and at the same time that portion of the packing member that extends beyond or outside of the shell flange is extruded over the edge thereof so as to overlap its margin 7 as at i3 in Fig. 1. Inthis way the packing member is secured to the shell flange in such a manner that it is immovable relative thereto in either axial direction.

As shown in Figs. l and 5, the oflset portion 4 of the flange 2 is disposed inwardly relative to the end of the shell a sufficient distance so that the outer end of the clamping portion 6 and the outer face of the clamping ring I I will be flushwith the end'face of the shell I. Thus, when the seal is inserted in a housing it may flatly abut the inner end-of the housing or any other means that might come into engagement with the seal when it is in operative position.

A modified form of the improved seal is shown in Fig. 6 ofthe'drawing, this form being particularly suitable for seals in which a packing made of leather is employed. The modified seal shown in Fig. 6 comprises all of the features embodied in the device shown in Fig. 1 with the exception ,of the peripheral rib or shoulder at the end of the shaft-engaging portion l4 of the packing member, it not being practical to form a leather packing member with such a rib.

As shown in Fig. 6, the helically coiled contractible springv I5 is held on the shaft-engaging portion l4 of the packing member by inwardly extending flange iii of a cup-shaped member nested within the shell I and secured by rolling inwardly the marginal edge of the shell as at H.

The main advantages of my improved oil seal lie in the fact that, due to the simplified construction and arrangement, the device can be made in smaller sizes than would be practical for other types of seals for sealing small reciprocal shafts with annularly contracted flexible sleevelike packing members; this type of packing memher being known to be more eflicient than other types because of its suitability to provide a relaf tively narrow contacting area between the packing-member and the shaft whereby an oilfllm forming on the shaft can be effectively broken down to prevent its passage through the seal.

2,052,762 Another advantage is in the fact that in the I present construction a moulded packing member may be employed, which packing member can be formed to fit the shaft for which it is designed more closely than other types of packing mem- 5 bers and to permit a relatively small amount- 0f taper for the inner surface of the shaft-engaging portion so as to reduce the lateral space required for the clamping and securing arrangement without the probability of increasing the contacting 16 than other new types of oil seals. 15

Although but two specific embodiments of this invention are herein shown and described, it is to be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted-without depart;-

ing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim: .1. As an article of manufacture, a self-contained oil seal comprising a cylindrical shell having an inwardly projecting flange at one end. said 2:

flange having an annular inner margin, an axially extending sleeve-like packing member having an annular external shoulder adjacent one end and disposed within said shell with said one end extending through the opening defined by the margin of said flange. and said shoulder abutting the inner face thereof, and an annular clamping ring disposed within said one end of said packing member andexpanded radially to clamp the same annular clamping ring disposed'within said one end of said packing member and expanded radially to clamp the same against the edge of said flange. i 6 3. As an article of manufacture, ase1f-c6n-' tained oil seal comprising a cylindrical shell having an inwardly projecting flange at one end, said -fiange having its inner margin offset inwardly from the end of said shell and defining an annu- 6 lar aperture, an axially sleeve-like packing member having an annular external shoulder adjacent one end and disposed within said shell with said one end extending through the opening defined by the margin of said flange and said shoulder a abutting the inner face thereof, and an annular clamping ring disposed within said one end of said .packing member and expanded radially to clamp the same against the edge of said flange, the said one end of said packing member and t the outer face of said'clamping ring being substantially flush with the adjacent end of said shell.

4. As an article of manufacture, a self-contained ofl seal comprising a cylindrical shell hav- 7 ing an inwardly projecting flange at one end, said flange having an annular inner margin, an axially extending sleeve-like packing member having an annular externalshoulder adjacent one 1 end and disposed within said shell with said one 1 end extending throughthe opening defined by the margin of said flange and said shoulder abutting the inner race thereof, an annular clamping ring disposed within said one end of said packing member and expanded radially to clamp the same against the edge of said flange, an annular external shoulder at the other end of said packing member, and a wire spring contractibly coiled helically about said other end of said packing member and retained thereon by the last-named shoulder.

5. As an article of manufacture, a self-con- ,tained oil seal comprising a cylindrical shell hav-- clamping ring disposed within said one end of said packing member and expanded radially to clamp the same against the edge of said flange,

said clamping ring having an annular peripheral groove of substantially thesame width as the thickness of said flange, and said groove being positioned in radial alinement with the edge of said flange.

6. As an article of manuiacture, a self-contained oil seal arranged ior pressed fit insertion into a housing in encompassing relation to a shaft passing therethrough, comprising a cylindrical shell having an inwardly projecting flange at one end, said flange having its inner margin oiiset inwardly from the end of said shell and defining an annular aperture, an axially extending sleeve-like packing member having an annular external shoulder adjacent one end and disposed withinsaid shell with said one end extending through said annular aperture and said'shoulder abutting the inner face of said flange, an annular clamping ring disposed within said one end of said packing member and expanded radially to clamp the same against the edge of said flange,

said clamping ring being seated in a counterbore 1 in the end of said packing member and having an annular peripheral groove of substantially the same width as the thickness of said flange, said groove being positioned in radial alinement with the edge of said flange, spring means contractibly coiled about the other end of said packing memher, and means to retain said spring means on said packing member.

7. As an article of manufacture, a self-contained oil seal comprising a cylindrical shell having an inwardly projecting flange at one end, said flange having an annular inner margin, a moulded sleeve-like packing member of suitable flexible material disposed within said shell, said packing member being formed with an axially extending shaft engaging portion tapered inwardly toward one end and an axially extending clamping portlon at the other end of greater diameter than the shaft-engaging portion, said packing mem her having an external peripheral shoulder formedthereon adjacent the said clamping portion and a peripheral external rib formed thereon at the other end, said clamping portion expacking member and retained thereon by said peripheral rib.

Rm J. GITS. 

